Lost in Space: Entity of Nightmares
by CrimsonPenny
Summary: After having reoccurring dreams about the death of her family, Penny begins to spend more and more time away from them. Realising a creature of sorrow and unhappiness is feeding from her fear, the family must work together to save the young naive girl from a fate worse than death... [I don't own Lost in Space or the Robinsons. Rated T just in case]
1. Prologue

_**Prologue**_

It was a bright, frosty morning. The path glistened like a carpet of crushed diamonds in the early morning sunshine. I walked, barefoot, across it, ignoring the sharp stones which had embedded themselves in my worn out and bruises soles. The shoes I used to wear were too small now, and the bottoms had completely fallen through, rendering them useless.

As I looked back, I realised I was leaving a trail of blood. _They'll_ find me even easier now… With nothing but a few leaves, I began to clean my cut feet. What was the point? I'll just bleed again as soon as I continue walking. Then again, the _Jupiter 2_ was less than a quarter of a mile away, I could vaguely see it through the thick bark and overshadowing leaves.

"Come on Penny," Judy tugged at my arm, and I groaned.

If it hadn't been for her, I'd probably be having a fit. In fact, if anyone in our family… even Dr Smith… had been here then I would be alright. _Their_ snarls were growing louder, I realised, and Judy was getting more and more irritated. Forcefully, I dragged my bleeding feet forward, wincing at every step.

"The Jupiter is right over there," I mumbled as we left the path and began running awkwardly through the burning sand.

How did I even get here? I was just taking a stroll when suddenly Judy came running up to me and-

"Penny!" I heard my sister scream and I snapped my head backwards.

There _it_ was. The _thing_. The _monster_ stalking us. In fact, calling it a monster would be too friendly for this type of abnormal and malicious entity. Its razor-sharp teeth were cutting through Judy's legs like butter, and her screams made my head spin.

Without hesitation I leapt forward, grabbing her stone-cold hands. The entity glared at me straight in the eyes, before retreating into the forest. Panting, I turned her over. Or I tried to. She wasn't there… No one was. The _Jupiter_ 2 was gone. The forest and the ground around me was disintegrating into black dust… All I could see were those red eyes, glaring at me from the darkness. More and more appeared, and I felt myself spinning and falling into nothingness… I saw my sister, my brother, my parents, Don and Dr Smith, all falling beside me. Their mouths opened to scream as their bodies turned to dust as well. Judy reached out to me, her eyes terrified, and grabbed my hand, before her face crumbled into her neck like sand…

"NO!" I screamed, sitting up. Beads of sweat poured from my forehead and down my flushed, crimson cheeks.

Mum came running in, followed by Dad, Don and Judy. They were here. Alive. What was going on… It was a nightmare, but it felt so real. My mother hugged me tightly, telling Don to get me some water. I moved my head slightly, looking over of my dark window.

There… in the distance… were those same glowing red eyes…


	2. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1**_

 _A week later…_

The nightmares don't stop. Every night, the person running with me is different… Last night it was Dad. I've never been more scared in my life… the eyes, the dark fur, the claws stained with fresh blood… it's all still there, in my mind, throughout the day…

"Penny…" I blinked a few times, hearing my brother beside me.

"Hmm? Oh, hey Will," I mumbled, trying to sound cheerful. Honestly, I felt like throwing up…

"Mum has been calling you for the last 5 minutes," He huffed, his red hair ruffled up.

"Oh. Sorry, I-I'll go now…" I placed the dirty plate beside the sink and walked slowly towards the door.

My long black hair flowed behind me as I came outside. The wind was strong, so strong that the robot was barely able to stand up, let alone me. I could see Mum and Judy doing their best to keep the chariot from blowing over, so I quickly ran over and pulled against the door.

"How do you expect me to keep this thing from falling?" I yelled, my voice nearly drowned out by the howling storm.

"Just… bear with," Judy gritted her teeth, getting into the driver's seat and starting the engine.

Mum and I guided the vehicle to the side of the Jupiter, where it could be protected from the wind trying to knock it over. I vaguely heard the robot yell danger, until I turned around. Giant red eyes peered down at me from the top of the Jupiter. They were attached to a muscular, intimidating body, and the scales on its back swayed violently in the wind. The entity's teeth gleamed a ghostly white and its claws raked across the Jupiter's roof. Its slender tail swayed a little, and its hackles bristled furiously. My vision blurred a little, and I rubbed my eyes, but the entity had gone. I was left, alone, laying beside the chariot.

I realised the wind was dying down now, and my hair no longer swayed swiftly, just lay against my back. I reached for the Chariot's handle, pulling myself up. Blowing the hair from my face, I walked back inside, ever so often looking over my shoulder.

"It seems the storm is passing…" I heard dad talking to mum from the cockpit. I remained just outside the door, hidden.

"Have you noticed Penny acting… strange, you know, recently?" my heart stopped when I heard my name.

"She's woken up screaming almost every night now," mum added.

"She doesn't eat much at dinner either. You don't suppose she's unwell, do you?" dad replied, worry quivering in her voice.

"Maybe she's having an allergic reaction to the atmosphere," mum agreed, "or to something she may have picked up on one of her explorations she does beside the river…"

"Then why is she screaming every night?" dad returned to the first point, "It's highly unlike her to be secretive. I ask her what's wrong and she just ignores me."

Not wanting to listen anymore, I jogged back towards my room, passing Don on the way. He glanced at me, concerned, and began following me. So, to stop him from bothering me, I closed the curtain, a sign to everyone that I didn't want to be bothered. And for a while, it stayed like that. Of course, parents tend to be nosy, and at that very moment the curtain opened and in came dad.

"Hey kid. What's up?" he was acting happy. Trying to cheer me up.

"Nothing much…" I mumbled. His mood dropped a bit, I could tell by his sudden body language change.

"Do you want to talk about anything?" he asked slowly and cautiously. I just turned and stared at him.

"No,"

"Are you sure?" his facial expression was moulded with worry.

"I'm fine," I grumbled, starting to get a little irritated. Dad raised his eyebrow, then sighed with frustration.

"Penny listen, I am your father. You can tell me anything. Are you ill? Why do you keep screaming at night? Has anyone hurt you?" his questions bugged me so much that I just got up and left, despite his protests.

In all honesty, I had no idea what the answer was to the first two questions, although the last was a no… or does the entity count as 'hurting' me? It hasn't physically done anything to me except in my dreams… And it seems only I can see it… Or… maybe not…


	3. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

(Forgot to mention, and the description didn't have enough characters left, that this has the original cast but is set in the 1990s)

I usually listen to my Sony Walkman whenever something is bothering me, which there normally always is. My feet swung in mid-air as I lay on my bed, listening to _Mr Blue Sky_ by Electric Light Orchestra. An old song, made only a year after I was born, but I liked it. Kept my mind off things, like my parents, my siblings and… the _thing_ …

I shudder whenever I think about its powerful, muscular body and sharp spikes which grew out of it like a porcupine. Then there are the eyes. Mother usually says that she can tell what someone is feeling just by the look in their eyes. Well, the look in this thing's eyes told me it was malicious and selfish, hungry for something I didn't know of.

As my song faded into its calm melody near the end, I rolled over, so I was now on my back, staring up at the blank ceiling. An even older song began playing, but still one of my favourites. It seemed all the songs that were made before I was born were the best. Little auto-tune, and brilliant vocals…

 _Listen baby, ain't no mountain high_ _  
_ _Ain't no valley low, ain't no river wide enough baby_ _  
_ _If you need me call me no matter where you are_ _  
_ _No matter how far don't worry baby_ _  
_ _Just call my name I'll be there in a hurry_ _  
_ _You don't have to worry_

I wonder what life would be like if I had someone like this in my life. I lost my chance, every human I know is on Earth or at our destination. I never normally mention it, but I don't ever think we'll get there. We'll probably be stuck on this god forsaken planet. Thanks to Dr Smith…

 _'Cause baby there ain't no mountain high enough_ _  
_ _Ain't no valley low enough_ _  
_ _Ain't no river wide enough_ _  
_ _To keep me from getting to you babe_

 _Remember the day I set you free_ _  
_ _I told you, you could always count on me darling_ _  
_ _From that day on, I made a vow_ _  
_ _I'll be there when you want me_ _  
_ _Some way, some how_

Yeah, that would be nice. Being set free from all of this… I just want to go home, or at least to our new home. This place is so isolated, a desert of sorrow and despair, never ending as it stretches over the planet like a blanket.

"Hey Penny," I looked up, turning my Walkman off quickly, and saw Judy.

The images from the first nightmare flickered through my mind. Her screaming, her disintegrating body… the blood… the entity tearing her apart. I couldn't bear it, so I looked away, not saying a word.

She, being stubborn, sat down on the bed beside me. I tensed up as she patted my hand with her own, expecting it to crumble to dust at any minute. I was positively shivering at this point, trying to hold back the sick crawling up my throat. Tears formed in my eyes as the images didn't stop, surrounding me with an aura of guilt and grief.

"I'll… I'll come back later," Judy sighed, eyeing me worriedly, before turning and walking out.

 **Judy's POV**

I hurriedly rushed down to the Galley, where mum was working. My heart was thumping inside my chest. She was right, Penny wasn't well at all. The way she tensed up when I put my hand on hers. She usually finds it comforting. And I could tell she wanted to throw up…

"Mum," I walked over to her, seeing a mirror but not worrying about my hair right now.

"Hey sweetie, how did it go?" she asked, concerned. I pulled a face.

"She didn't speak to me, she tensed up when I put my hand on hers and she looked like she was going to throw up. Mum we need to do something. Now!" I explained. She nodded in agreement.

I followed her out of the Galley again, out towards Penny's room. We'll have to get an answer out of her else we'll never know what's wrong. She's never acted this way before, and I'm pretty sure I've mentioned than at least a thousand times.

"Penny, I- What in God's name is that?!" mum pulled open Penny's door, only to back straight out of the way. I nearly choked in fear…

A giant, muscular... beast… with sharp spines all over it's body, razor claws and the most malicious red eyes I've ever scene was pinned to the roof. It was pulling something misty and purple from Penny's body, making it flow upwards into its eyes. The mist seemed to make it grow, and Penny was completely oblivious.

"Penny!"


	4. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

"Penny!"

I heard my sister scream my name and tensed up. Something snarled and growled above me, and my head moved slowly to the roof. Honestly, I should've just ran, but my feet were glued to the floor. Misty, purple coloured stuff was flowing out of me, keeping me from moving.

"Mum! Judy! Help me!" I screeched, my eyes diverting to their confused yet anxious faces.

Mum ran forward to grab my arms and pull me out of the entity's range, whilst Judy threw some of my books at it, causing it to fall. I hid behind my mother's body for protection, my raven black hair covering my eyes a little as I tried to pinpoint the creature's location.

It snarled and hissed, a snake-like tongue appearing from its rather large mouth. Peculiarly large… Right before us, the entity began to shape and mould into a giant, blood-thirsty snake. I've never seen anything like it in my entire life…

Without warning, the snake leapt forward, grabbing mum by the leg, tossing her away from us. It then swivelled around to Judy, plunging its fangs into her side and throwing her away too. I could vaguely see blood oozing out from their wounds where I stood… Turning to me, the snake began to circle. There was no escape, I could see that now.

Dad, Don and Will had now entered the Jupiter and were staring at the snake. Thanks for the help… I tried to keep myself near the middle, staring confidently into the snake's blood red eyes. Its fangs gleamed in the light, allowing me to see the crimson blood dripping from them.

"John, for God's sake, help her!" mum was helping an injured Judy to her feet.

Snapping out of whatever it was he was in, Dad retrieved the axe he had dropped just moments ago and swung at the snake, who turned away from me, allowing me to climb over its slimy body. The snake hissed and snarled, before slivering at a high speed towards the window, breaking through it and away into the forest.

Dad and Don ran over to us, Don kissed Judy's forehead and took over from mum, who instantly turned to me. In fact, they all did. I sighed, twiddling my thumbs with anxiety.

"Penny, you need to tell us what's going on," we were all in my room now. Don and Dad stood by the door, arms crossed.

Judy sat on the bed beside me, whilst Will bandaged her wound.

"I-I…" I looked at all of them in the eye.

I don't know why I couldn't tell them. I wanted to tell them, but then I didn't want to… I know it sounds weird, but that's the only thing that makes sense in my head. Don and Dad eyed me suspiciously, ever so often exchanging glances with one another. I drew a deep breath, beads of sweat beginning to form above my temple.

"Something is out there. It's giving me nightmares…" I began, sounding like a terrified five-year-old.

"That snake was horrifying," Will agreed. Judy turned to face him.

"It wasn't a snake! That _thing_ was something entirely different. Why, it looked more like a bear crossed with a dinosaur if you asked me," she spat, wincing when Will dabbed her wound again with water.

"I saw a snake," Don protested.

"So, this thing can change…" Dad murmured, unfolding his arms, grabbing the axe, which was stood up against the wall.

He threw it to Don, then retrieved a knife from his pocket. The fear began bubbling up inside of me again, and I did my best to control it, as it seems that my fear was a beacon to whatever was out there. Before they left however, there was a massive _bang_! I tensed up, figuring the worst, until Don pointed out that it was Dr Smith.

"Where did all this slime stuff come from? Robot, help me up this instant!"


	5. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

 _ **This chapter will contain the following**_

 _ **Gore and revolting stuff – A lot of blood, and possible body parts missing.**_

 _ **You have been warned. I'm not trying to sound to serious, it just doesn't work for me. 3 Oh, and it's also short.**_

I was standing on a path half swallowed by sanguine liquid, which felt thick and warm against my bare feet. I shuddered, trudging through it with such a force I nearly tripped myself up. There was a light ahead, pushing away the shadows of my nightmare. Dear god how I was wrong…

Five bodies lay on the ground, blood oozing from their open wounds. Teeth marks were visible on the crimson skin of their torn-up limbs. I quivered, diverting my eyes to their faces. They had been attacked so badly I couldn't recognise one from the other. Eyes sockets bled, mouths nothing but a small hole…

Guts lay half chewed out on the path, heavy with gloopy red juice still. I could smell and taste the putrid smell of the corpses rising through the air, and for a moment I thought I heard a blood-curdling scream. But there was no one around, only me and them… I wiped my red eyes, letting out a small sob.

 _Rustle_ … I opened my eyes quickly, hearing something or someone's feet crunching through the bushes behind me. The air began to smell sour, and I crinkled my nose just to hold it back. My fingers twitched as I knelt, keeping my body protected among the cadavers. Something white glinted in the light that mysteriously shone, without a source, in the area and I froze, slowing my petrified heart as so my breathing would become quieter. I could feel something crawling up my leg. Something warm and thick… I didn't bear to look down, fearing the worst.

 _Penny, this is just a nightmare. You'll be alright,_ I thought to myself, letting out a shivering gasp as the _thing_ reached my spine. I expected it to stop, to break me into paralysis there and then, but it just continued to move further and further up my back. Tears trickled down my flushed cheeks, as the _thing_ stopped just below my neck. I could see red eyes appear in the shadows, glaring menacingly at me, piercing my debilitated soul.

"Please… Please just stop!" I wailed, wincing as the thing behind me began squeezing harshly at my neck.

The eyes just blinked a few times, and as they did the grip grew stronger. I could see five scarlet fingers, drizzling with thick blood, wrapped tightly around my neck. I could feel the bones breaking inside of me, and my vision grew blurring. Coughing and spluttering, I slid to the floor, squeezing my eyes shut and shaking violently.

After one final _crack_ … I felt my body fall into nothingness…


	6. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

 **Sorry for not updating for the few last days. I've been ill and stuff. I promise I will try and do my best to post at least 1 new chapter every day.**

 **Model Builder:** _ **Thank you. I was hoping I'd get them all right. It's been a little bit hard to get the original characters correct, as the first Lost in Space I ever watched was the 2018 version. I do understand that Penny is American, and sometimes I find it hard to write like that. It's the complete opposite for speaking, however, I could be talking with a British Accent one minute and an American the next.**_ _ **I always wondered how effected the family would be after encountering all those celestial beings e.g. Mr Nobody, Arcon and of course villains like the Saticons. The entity in Penny's dreams is, at first, just that. But due to the powerful forces she – and the others – had encountered on their travels, the monster had found a way to escape her dreams (not sure how yet) and harass the family. Well, just Penny at first, like in the scene in the first chapter where she freaks out whilst the others just go inside, other than robot, who seemed to sense the creature's presence. But as soon as it feeds off her fear for the first time, growing larger from the amount it's taking, Maureen and Judy appear to be able to see the creature now because it has grown stronger.**_

I heaved a long, shuddering sigh, one that I had to forcefully push up from the depths of my chest. The feeling in my heart is sour with sadness, slowly contaminating my blood with misty tears. The _Jupiter_ 2 stands confidently nearby, the habitants inside still sound asleep, whilst I remain out here, remembering those horrifying moments from my most recent dream…

 _I could feel something crawling up my leg. Something warm and thick… I didn't bear to look down, fearing the worst…_

The crimson fingers were still visible in my eyes, blood drizzling from their sanguine wounds and creating a pool around my stiff legs. My "death" had been painful, the bones in my body still feeling cracked and ruptured. And the smell remained too, lingering around our little camp like a bad omen. It burned my eyes like onions, and spread like a fungus around my mouth, leaking into the thousands of taste buds I had, corrupting them.

My soot-coloured hair was slovenly and knotted, and I wore it down for a change, so that it reached halfway up my spine. Small black bags rested below my jaded eyes, shadowing my usual, cheerful humour from the world. I hadn't left them a note, obviously, that I had gone somewhere. I didn't want tell them where I was going, but they could probably guess... We hadn't exactly travelled around much of this planet, so I'm just going to the only place I _know_ they won't be able to get to.

There's a little oasis, where we usually get our water supply, with tall, thin trees on one side and a towering mountain on the other. There's also a path leading to this cosy area, just in case we get a bit lost. Convenient. Anyway, there is a small ledge hanging just over the lake, with lush green water flowing into it from a large cavern inside the mountain. The entrance is just about big enough for Will or I to fit through, so it's only a matter of time before they send him down to look for me. I'm not running away and staying, permanently, in this cavern, I'm just staying for a few hours until I think it's an appropriate time to go home…

"Penny, where are you going?" I froze, processing the voice in my mind. Will.

"I need some time alone. I'll be back before breakfast," I lied, feeling slightly guilty for having to lie to my young brother.

"Please. This is about that creature, isn't it?" he continued, narrowing his eyes at me. I could persuade anyone that I would be back by breakfast – even mom – but I could never do the same to Will.

It's like he had some sort of radar. My thoughts suddenly stopped, and I stared angrily into his eyes. I swear I saw a hint of red, then again it could be the sun… No, it's the same shade of red, I'm sure of it…

Without any warning to him, or it, whatsoever, I slapped his across the face, anger radiating from my crimson cheeks. His eyes widened on the impact, and even now he was still nearly bent over, hand on his cheek. Without saying a word, Will fled back to the Jupiter 2, and I mentally kicked myself.

I should've thought that over more. If Will really was the entity, he would've attacked me by now. Oh, now I feel like an idiot. Striking my own brother with no warning at all… what will mom and dad think? If the alarms inside of my head were blaring whenever I looked someone in the eyes, how the hell am I supposed to know who's real and who's not?


	7. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_

 **Maureen's POV**

"Mom!" Will's voice erupted from somewhere on the Jupiter, and I awoke with a start.

John had sat up instantly, grabbing a flashlight from the bedside and draping a blanket carelessly over his broad shoulders. I followed him soon after, not bothering to straighten my night gown or ruffled hair. Judy was staring, confused, out of her cabin, and Dr Smith was mumbling in complain over at his. Penny, however, hadn't come out yet.

"Will? What is it?" I heard my husband ask our youngest with slight anger in his voice.

The young, red haired boy was trembling, and one of his cheeks shone a bright sanguine colour. He was trying not to cry, I could tell, judging by the watery look just above his lower eyelashes. Hurrying over, I knelt beside my son with concern. John remained standing, his hand on my shoulder.

"Penny, she… she hit me," his lower lip trembled, which I've never seen him do since he was three.

I exchanged glances with John, just as Don and Judy came over, confusion painted on their tired faces. Dr Smith had opened Penny's door, saying her name a few times, before his usual pathetic little jog over to us.

"Pardon me, Mrs Robinson, but I cannot find miss Penelope in her quarters," he explained in his very posh voice.

"She said she was going for a walk and claimed she'd be back by breakfast. I didn't believe her, and before I know it, she strikes me," Will replied, pouting whilst rubbing his sore cheek.

"Major, come with me. Maureen and Judy check around the campsite. Will and Smith, take the robot and check near the mountain range. She couldn't have gotten far," with no hesitation, John took immediate charge.

Don pecked Judy on the cheek, jogging after my husband, whilst I squeezed my anxious daughter's hand, looking back at Dr Smith and Will. Judy's usual tanned face was pale, and she looked at the ground. I knew my daughters weren't close, they had two entirely different personalities, but both weren't prepared if one was to go missing or, dare I say, pass away…

 **Will's POV**

"Hold up, boy. I do not think I can climb much further," Smith panted, slipping down onto a nearby ledge.

"Come on, Dr Smith. If my sister is somewhere around here, we must find her," I slid down onto the ledge beside him, impatience in my voice.

"The girl is probably in shock from her predicament, I say we should let her be," he huffed, closing his eyes for a little bit.

I sighed, realising we were going nowhere, and turned in the direction of the robot, who was instead circling the oasis rather than climbing up with us. It seemed to stop beside a thin, tiny waterfall, turn its head towards the fall's entrance, before going around in a circle again. Something suddenly made my ears twitch. A voice. It was rhythmic, like a song. Actually… it was a song… I turned to Dr Smith.

"Dr Smith, when you went into Penny's room, did you se her Walkman anywhere around?" I asked.

"Not that I could see, no," he mumbled, his eyes remaining closed.

I slowly – and quietly – stepped away from my companion and down towards the oasis, where the music grew louder.

 _Every night in my dreams  
I see you, I feel you  
That is how I know you, go on_

 _Far across the distance  
And spaces between us  
You have come to show you, go on_

I could recognise that music anywhere. One of mom's, Judy's and Penny's favourite songs. It came out just a few months before we left Earth, which was lucky for those three. I tried to pinpoint the location of the music, ignoring my thoughts to listen out for the music again.

But there was nothing. Whoever it was, wherever they were, had immediately stopped the music. Water lapped over my feet and I just realised I was standing in the way of the waterfall, soaking my only pair of shoes.

Glancing into the little burrow, where the water was pouring out from, I saw the glimpse of some terrified brown eyes blur past my line of vision. I stepped back a little, whistling for the robot. As he did not shout "Danger! Danger!", I guessed that it was safe.

"Penny, is that you?" I whispered quietly, kneeling so I could see better. The cavern was huge, but half of it had collapsed into a chasm. There was a tiny silhouette backed up against the wall, the light only showing its eyes. Penny.

She seemed terrified at the fact that I was there. Understandable. She did slap me less then two hours ago. After many failed attempts of trying to lure her out so I could get her home, I told the robot to stay here and not let her leave until I brought mom and dad here.

"Affirmative,"

"Dr Smith!" I ran over to my sleeping friend, who awoke slowly.

"What is it boy?" he asked, yawning loudly.

"I've found Penny. But she won't come out, you can stay here with the robot or you can come with me to go and get mom and dad," I explained, talking so fast it took a little while to understand.

"I'll stay here, no need for both of us to go. Just don't be too long," he closed his eyes again, breaking off into a rhythmic snore.

Without any hesitation, I left his side and ran off to find my parents.


	8. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**_

 **Ok, going to explain something quickly. Celine Dion's signature song "My Heart Will Go On" was in the last chapter if you didn't notice. I know, I know, the Robinsons left a few months before the film "Titanic" came out, but since this is sci fi and fantasy and such, it's possible for advanced screening to be around in the 1990s. Should've mentioned that, oops…**

 **No harm done though. I don't mind if you feel like something is out of place and you mention it to me, because honestly, I want to fix that before a make another chapter. Nothing makes me happier in the world to know that people are enjoying my works and taking their time to read and tip me on them.**

 **So, thanks a lot guys. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.**

 **Maureen's POV**

We all followed Will to where he had left Penny, the robot and Dr Smith. I was anxious to see my child, to make sure she was alright. Judy's pale face was lightening up after every step we took, and soon we reached the oasis. Will pointed to the small ledge, where I noticed a small opening in the mountain, allowing water to squeeze past.

Crawling up to it, I peered into the damp cavern, to be met with Penny's mahogany eyes, glinting with fear. It saddened me to see my child like this, and I reached my hand down towards her, ignoring the freezing water rushing through my sleeves. She hesitated, uncertainty painted on her insipid face.

"Penny, please, take my hand," I whispered softly, urgency hinted in my tired voice.

She didn't move, instead diverted her eyes away from mine. With no choice, I shone my flashlight into the cavern, to be met with a pair of shimmering red eyes, held up by the silhouette of a giant rat like creature, fangs the same length as my arm. Judy knelt beside me, and the eyes glanced over to her, and the rat changed to a giant snake. Judy screamed, backing so quickly away from the burrow that she slipped from the side of the ledge.

"Judy!" Will grabbed her by the foot, stopping her from plummeting head first into the oasis.

As soon as Judy had gone, the snake turned sharply back to Penny, turning into the creature I had first seen lingering over her bed. It wasn't really any sort of earth creature, so there was no effortless way of matching it to that of a bear or lion. Purple mist began to twist and spiral from Penny's hunched shape, seeping into the entity's eyes. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and a sudden burst of light as a shot was fired at the creature.

John was knelt beside me, whilst Don wielded the gun. As the creature slipped, confused, against the cold stone floor, Penny edged towards us, and John pulled her out, hugging our daughter so tightly I thought he might kill her. Don helped Will with Judy, who kissed the Major on the cheek and wrapped her arms around his neck, quivering with fear.

Back at the Jupiter 2, Don had switched on the barriers and locked the entrance doors. Penny was in her room, muted by the most recent attack. It was just the shock, and her voice would return… hopefully. Dr Smith and the robot were playing chess with Will, who every now and again would look over at Penny's silent room. John and I were discussing what to do in our own room.

"We've never encountered anything like that beast before in our travels," John explained, pacing the room whilst I remained on the bed.

"Well, whatever it is, it seems to be hunting us," I replied coldly, narrowing my eyes.

"I want to know where it came from," John said, turning to face me.

"I could less about where it came from and who made it. I care about getting rid of it!" I yelled.


	9. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8**_

 **Don's POV**

I don't know what had awoken me. It was quiet, only just loud enough for me to vaguely hear now. Checking my watch, 1:20, I got slowly out of bed, blinking the blurry sleep from my drowsy eyes. The Jupiter corridors were pitch black, faint snores coming from the room beside me.

Walking through as quietly as I could, the noise grew a little louder until I stopped outside of Penny's room… My heart ached painfully, knowing exactly what she was going through, but with no power to stop it nor understand it. She was in her own bubble, and we were all locked on the outside… I doubt I would be able to be any use of comfort to her, but it's worth a try…

Peeking through a small rip in the curtain, I saw a small figure on all fours, sobbing with gut-wrenching force, like she was trying to vomit and was on the verge of doing so. Her night gown was damp with tears, and her face was a deathly pale.

"Penny?"

I entered cautiously, only to have the air knocked out of my chest when thin, cold arms wrapped themselves around my waist, and a small head brushed gently against my chest. My throat was not able to release words of solace to her. Penny let out short, shaky sobs, each sounding bitterly colder than the last. I wrapped my muscular arms around her petite shape, comforting her injured, petrified soul with nothing but that. Her cries grew quieter, until silence dominated the area where we stood.

The air smelt and tasted sourly of blood. I could feel my throat tightening at the overpowering aroma and I pulled Penny out of the room. Her eyes were closed, and she walked like she had just been spinning uncontrollably. Her breathing was growing shallower, but not enough to make me think she was dying. Or, at least, I hoped she wasn't.

"Penny, go to my room. Ok, I'm going to clean up in your own. I'll be about five minutes," kissing her forehead, I watched her go. She tripped over her feet a few times, but she managed to make it.

When I came back to my room, Penny was sound asleep, her face peaceful and soft. I smiled. I never had a sibling, but I've always wanted a sister. Penny was perfect for that role, and Will being perfect for the part of a brother. I had no idea if they saw me that way, or just the guy who pilots the _Jupiter_ 2 and hangs around because I'm stuck here with them as well. Leaning against the bed, with a pillow behind my head and a blanket for warmth, my eyelids began drooping uncontrollably, but the thought still remained in my head, even when I was near deep sleep…


	10. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9**_

 **Penny's POV. For those who don't know, she's about fifteen, sixteen now. Still ol' personality though. Time goes by quickly, unfortunately…**

My vision was blurred by the time I had awoken. The pain that was once sharp and burning now felt dull and distant. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my shocked emotions as I processed all that was going on in my mind. Turning my head, I was met with the most awkward thing I've ever been through.

Don was there, snoring silently, with his arm wrapped around the pillow keeping us apart. I felt beads of sweat and uncomfortableness slip down my temple. Please tell me we both have clothes on... Oh thank god… What happened? I don't remember anything about last night other than going to bed! I tried to slide off the bed without making much movement, but I swear anything can rouse this guy up. He grunted awake, rubbing his red eyes, not all surprised I was there.

"Before um… Before we talk about anything, did… did anything… anything happen?" I stuttered, hopping from the bed and straightening my night gown. Don's face turned from neutral to fear in a matter of seconds.

"No, God no! Don't you remember? You were crying last night, and I came in to comfort you. Then… clean up your sick-blood stuff. I was going to wake you up to send you back to your room, but I felt it would be mean on your behalf, since you seemed to be having the first nightmare less night in about two months," I breathed a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from my face.

"Hey Don- and Penny…" Judy came in, surprising us both. We're dead. We're so dead…

"Hey Judy," Don sat up quickly, blushing a deep shade of scarlet.

"Um… Mom says breakfast is ready," she was just as confused as I was when I first woke up.

"Uh, Ok thanks," I mumbled, nibbling my fingernails.

Don sighed, his cheeks still red. I felt sorry for him, an act of kindness which had backfired on him isn't always the best thing people wake up to. I'm grateful though, since the only thing I can remember is staring up into my eyelids unconsciously all night. Would Judy tell? Maybe… I don't know…

"Should we… uh… go then?" he asked, not making eye contact with me.

"Y-Yeah uh… see you there," I mumbled, leaving his room without a thankyou or a goodbye either.

I hurried to my room, trying to ignore the heat radiating from all over my body. I don't know what was more embarrassing, waking up in Don's bed or Judy walking in and thinking we did… that. Shuddering at the thought, I grabbed a brush, trying to untangle my stygian hair, but gave up after about three useless attempts. Staring into the mirror again, I noticed Don standing at the door.

"Hey did you forget somethi-" I was stopped mid-sentence as he pressed his luscious lips against mine. I struggled, reaching beside me for the shard of glass I had retrieved from the oasis cavern.

Stabbing him in the side, he backed away, and I held it threateningly towards him. This _wasn't_ Don. Blue blood puddled on the ground around "Don's" feet, and his eyes turned from brown to red in an instant. Only one thing seemed the right thing to do right now, and I didn't hesitate at all.

"Dad!"

 **John's POV**

"Dad!" I heard an all-too-familiar scream echoing around the corridors as we ate.

Don and Judy had gotten up instantly, instinct driving them to stupidly forget to take their laser guns with them. Dr Smith was cowering behind the robot, whilst Maureen and Will were glancing uncertainly at each other.

All three of us then hurried towards Penny's room, our bodies crashing into each other multiple times to get there quickly enough. However, when we did arrive there, I was met with something… mostly confusing.

"Two Dons?" Will thought aloud.

He was right. Identical. Right down to the boots. One was trying to overpower the other, and without knowing which one was which, none of us could jump in and help. I scanned the corridor, but there was no sign of Penny. I jumped out of the way just as one of the Dons were knocked down, and the over revealed itself to be the entity, towering over Judy and Don as a massive snake. Hissing, it leapt at Don, fangs snapping straight through his body.

Or I thought it his body… The snake spit the bloody body with its mouth, disappearing almost instantly.

"NO!"

Crimson liquid poured from the body through an open wound on its side. But, it wasn't until I neared that I realised who it was. Judy. Oh, my precious Judy… She had fang sized tears down her stomach and torso, and her breathing was growing shallower. I knelt beside my daughter, hands on her shoulder.

"Dad…" she croaked, her hand brushing against mine.

"It's OK baby girl, I'm here," I kissed her forehead, trying to remain calm.

"I-I can't feel my legs," she gasped, and I looked the other way. She couldn't feel her legs… she _had_ _no_ legs… They had been completely torn off, and I think the only reason she wasn't screaming is because she was in shock.

"It's Ok, you're going to be ok, I'm right here," I smiled, my eyes glassy.

"Dad it hurts…" she whispers, squeezing her eyes shut.

"No… no, no, no, don't shut your eyes. Stay with me," I patted her face gently, and her eye lids fluttered.

"I don't want to go, dad, I don't want to go," she whimpered, her voice going squeaky. Maureen squeezed her hand, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"You're not going anywhere, you'll be fine," I wasn't just reassuring her, I was reassuring myself too.

"Judy?"

Her hand slumped limply on the ground as I let go. Panic overcame me, and I began shouting more and more. She hadn't blinked, she wasn't breathing. Her face was growing paler. I began to perform CPR, desperately trying to bring my baby back.

"No… No, no, no… NO!" I yelled in anger, doubling over in pain and despair. I felt like vomiting. It felt like someone had physical ripped my heart out of my chest and squeezed every ounce of blood from it.

Falling to my knees, I wailed, heaving great sobs from the depths of my aching chest. My hands felt numb as Judy's blood seeped through them, and my eyes grew fuzzy. Don and Penny were nowhere around, angering me even more. I've just watched one of my children being ruthlessly slaughtered and the over taken by a murderous entity, and I didn't get to say goodbye… to either of them…


	11. Chapter 10

_**Chapter 10**_

 **Ok, I know people will be asking if it's a dream or not. I hate to break it to you, but, that wasn't a dream. Judy is dead, and Penny and Don have been taken by the entity. And if you think that's sad, imagine how I feel writing the entire scene with that image in my head.**

 **Penny's POV**

I've seen darkness before, the kind that makes the corridors of the Jupiter like an old-fashioned photograph, everything a shade of grey. This isn't like that. This is the darkness that robs you of your best sense and replaces it with a paralysing fear. In this darkness I lay, muscles cramped and unable to move. I only know my eyes are still there because I can feel myself blink, still instinctively moisturizing the organs I have no current use for.

Someone, or something, is there beside me, breathing so softly it calms me. There is no use in closing my eyes, it wouldn't make a difference, so instead I stare upwards towards a roof, hopefully, or dare I say, an abyss. The person beside me grunts a little, and my breathing sharpens.

 _I wish it was brighter in here…_

A blinding light suddenly blurred my aching pupils, and I closed them quickly. Tiny red dots appeared in my vision as I opened my eyes, and I had to blink a few times just to get adjusted to the stinging glare. Knees weak, I failed to stand up, and instead sat uncomfortably on the freezing cold floor.

 _Hello Penny_

What? Who was that? Snapping my head around to the far corner of this… place… I saw the silhouette of a girl. She shimmered, like the sun reflecting off coloured glass. It was mystical, too mystical… Was I dead? Was this an angel?

 _Do you not recognise me?_

Shaking my head was the only way I could respond, as I felt like my lips had been stitched together. In fact, my whole body other than my head seemed heavier than normal, like I was being weighed down by an imperceptible force.

The silhouette walked forward, slowly at first, as if it were too afraid to come out. It had the grace of a sleeping baby, with clothes a deathly white colour. Long blonde hair fell below its broad shoulders, with dazzling blue eyes shining confidently at me.

"J-Judy," I struggled to speak, as if I was learning it all over again.

She smiled, sitting down beside me, and placing her shimmering tanned hand in mine. There was something, an emotion, in her eyes that I had trouble reading. She seemed to be only smiling on the outside and crying silently on the inside. She raised her right hand, and, between her thumb and index finger, she held a strand of my messy black hair.

 _You never did like styling your hair._

The remark was humorous to both of us, but she still seemed a bit off. I wanted to ask her what was wrong or why both of us were here. Why was she so… strange? I'm not sure if that's the word for it… Her head turned to the ceiling, or whatever was above us, and for the first time I saw a hint of worry.

Don was hanging, unconscious, just about 3 meters above the ground. The peculiar thing, however, was that there were no ropes keeping him upright. Nothing at all. Judy stood up, tugging his thick jacket to pull him down. It happened almost instantly, and soon he was laying with his head in her silver lap, eyelids vibrating a little very few seconds, like he was having a dream.

 _He'll be alright…_

I was going to answer, until I realised that what she had said was of more reassurance to herself than to me. Those words, however, seemed to hit her hard in the stomach, I could tell. It was partly my fault, Don being in this situation. I mean, he could've just left me in my room. I would've been alright… But Don isn't one of those men. Was it guilt? I mean I know he's spent more time with Judy than I probably ever had but we weren't exactly close in the first place. Judy suddenly looked up, eyes piercing into me. They were watery and could tell the colour was draining from her face.

 _You didn't think we were close?_

"I-I… well no…" my confusion mixed with my honesty, with no time to think of a convenient answer.

She looked down, bottom lip trembling slightly. My heart ached a lot for having to truthfully tell her that, but what she said next shocked me even more.

 _Neither did I._


	12. Chapter 11

_**Chapter 11**_

 **Hey guys. I'll be quick. This has nothing to do with the story, but If you want to hear the music I usually listen to when writing some of these scenes, just go onto youtube and search up Inochi No Kagayaki. You can either listen to it from the start, or if you want to go straight into my favourite part just skip forward to 2 minutes, 54 seconds on the video.**

 **Penny's POV**

 _I never wanted to mention it because I was worried about how you would react._

"And I did the exact same thing," taking her hand, I smiled and squeezed it gently, like mom does.

"Besides, we can always start over. It wouldn't hurt me to do my hair up for once, or for you to come cave exploring with me occasionally," I added, trying to sound cheerful.

Judy suddenly broke down into a series of heart-wrenching sobs. They were croaky, as if her entire throat had tightened by will. Salty tears streamed down her golden cheeks, drizzling from the tip of her chin and down onto her milk-white dress.

"What is it?" from pure shock, I just sat there, unsure how to deal with the situation.

 _We can't start over!_

"And why not?" I asked, "I don't believe in giving up. This isn't easy, but it isn't impossible."

 _You don't understand! We can't start over!_

"Again, why?" I began to get a little impatient.

 _Because I'm dead!_

What happened next was both physically and emotionally traumatizing for me. Judy stood up, face streamed with tears, and started to slowly change. Sanguine liquid began slowly drizzling from her mouth, and two arm sized gashes appeared out of the blue, the one across her chest and below causing her stomach to drop out, still oozing with blood. Her eye emotion turned to that of pure pain as she screeched out from the bottom of her wounded lungs, only stopped every few seconds to breath.

"Judy, stop it… Stop it please!" I wailed, grabbing her hand. But it slowly slipped from my grasp, and the screaming continued.

I'm surprised Don hasn't awoken. Jesus, he must have been seriously injured to not be able to hear Judy's painful screeches. The whole thing itself lasted about half a minute, before Judy finally managed to breath for more than a second. The wounds began to fade, and the blood began to disappear, until she was the shimmering girl again. The only thing that had remained, however, was the pain in her aqua eyes.

 _I am so sorry Penny…_

I know I'm exaggerating, but the area around me suddenly grew very cold. The insides of my throat felt frozen and prickly, like tiny little icicles were stabbing themselves into my sensitive skin. And while my insides felt frozen, I could feel my forehead growing hotter and hotter, which gradually travelled around my shocked state. I could feel my cheeks going crimson as I stared at Judy, not even saying a word. Once again, my lips had refused to form words, and I understand made a strange groan from the back of my throat. Judy raised an eyebrow, wiping a tear, which had settled itself on her upper lip, away.

 _Penny, a-are you alright?_

I hesitantly moved forward, wrapping my arms around her and resting my head on her shoulder. God knows how long we sat there, comforted by each other's presence, as I struggled to steady my breathing. Unlike Judy's reaction, I silently allowed the water to drain from my eyes, blinking every few seconds or so to allow them to sliver down my pale cheeks. She rested her chin on my messy black hair, closing her eyes and calmly giving a deep sigh. I wanted the silence to last, I really did, but there was a question that was forcing me to speak.

"Are Don and I dead?"

Judy shook her head instantly, turning her head towards the walls. There was a pitch-black passage way smack in the middle, ominously glaring at us at a distance. Shivering, I turned back to Judy, eyes wide and frightened.

 _I can get both of you out._

"What about you?" I asked.

Again, she closed her eyes, ignoring my question completely, and turned her attention towards the arousing Major. I too, turned towards him, shuffling slightly. She wanted to get _us_ out, she wasn't bothered about herself. That doesn't exactly stop me from trying though…


	13. Chapter 12

_**Chapter 12**_

 **Penny's POV**

 _Don?_

Judy shook his shoulder gently, patting his hand with her free hand. I sat and watched, wiping any remaining tears from my face with the tip of my thumb. Judy had sat the young Major upright, clicking a few times in front of his face.

"Wha-"Don waved her hand away from his face, rubbed his eyes and looked around.

"You were out pretty badly, Don," I knelt beside him, glancing over at Judy. She shook her head.

We couldn't tell him now, it would be too much. Instead he turned his attention to Judy and kissed her lovingly on the cheek, then put his arms around both our shoulders and pulled us in for a hug. He again kissed Judy on the forehead and squeezed my shoulder.

"Thank god you're all alright," he sighed. Again, my heart sank, and Judy's smile faded a little, but not enough for Don to notice.

"Where is everyone else? Where are we?" he asked, letting go of both of us and standing up.

"No idea. I… I mean we… just woke up here," I replied, biting my nails in fear.

"Well, don't you girls worry. I'll get us out of here," he looked around, heard turning to every corner or the room possible.

Judy and I stood in silence, hand in hand, my head resting on her shoulder. She kissed my forehead, like Don had done to her, and I squeezed her hand. Sure, we could always go through the dark looking corridor, but I don't think any of us wanted to do that. Nevertheless, Judy pestered us until we had changed our minds.

"I know it's dark and that, but it seems to be our only way out," she protested, pulling us both by the hand.

"Let me go in front then. Penny, go behind me and then Judy," he turned to face us, but we had already done so.

He was probably reminding himself that dad would never forgive him if anything happened to us, but that was too late. Oh, I know how desperate Judy was to tell him, but we couldn't risk it. Not now, not ever. If Judy won't be able to follow us, then yes, we will have to tell him. If she can follow us, and it will lead to her coming back to life, then Don would never have to know about it.

Anyway, we can't worry about that right now. What we must worry about is how to get out of here…

 **Hey guys. Sorry, I've taken a bit of a break from this story. I will finish it, I promise. But right now, I'm working on my Sound of Music Fanfic, requested by a friend. If you wish to read it, it's called "This was never going to be easy". The Sound of Music was the first film I ever saw, ever, even before a Disney or Pixar movie, so it means a lot to me.**


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